Animal trap



April 1956 R. o. SHIRLEY 2,741,866

ANIMAL TRAP Filed Nov. 7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l i 52 32 Z l IN V EN TOR.

Roberi 0. Shirley,

ATTOBA E Y6 April 17, 1956 R. o. SHIRLEY ANIMAL TRAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 7, 1952 A 7' TOR/VEYS United States Patent ANIMAL TRAP Robert 0. Shirley, Memphis, Tenn.

Application November 7, 1952, Serial No. 319,253

2 Claims. (Cl. 43-69) This invention relates to animal traps, and more particularly, has reference to an animal trap of the type including a normally closed trap door that opens under the weight of an animal.

It is one important object of the present invention to provide an animal trap that will be so designed as to cause the trap door to remain normally closed until the animal is supported entirely upon the door, after which the trap door shifts under the weight of the animal to an open position, thus to drop the animal into a suitable receptacle.

Another object is to provide an animal trap of the character described in which the trap door is returned, by a trigger-like, split-second action, to a normally closed position, the means embodied in the invention for returning the trap door to a normally closed position including a cooperating assembly of counter weights, a magnet, and return spring.

Another object of importance is to provide a trap of the type stated which will be so designed as to be capable of manufacture at a relatively low cost, considering the benefits to be obtained from the use thereof.

Still another object is to provide a trap of the type stated which will be sure in operation, and which will, additionally, be so designed as to permit the animal to be removed safely.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a trap formed in accordance with the present invention, the full lines indicating the closed position of the trap door and the dotted lines indicating the open position of said trap door;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the trap with the door in the closed position; and

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the trap, the upper portion of the trap being broken away.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral has been applied generally to a container, which is adapted to receive the animal after the animal is dropped through the trap door. The container 10 can be formed from any of various materials, and can be of any desired cross sectional configuration. In one commercial embodiment of the invention, the container 10 can have the shape illustrated in the drawings, said container having a rectangular, flat bottom plate 12 formed of wood, sheet metal, or the like.

Fixedly secured to the several corners of the bottom plate 12 are vertically disposed corner posts 14, the posts 14 being fixedly connected at their upper ends to a horizontally disposed top rim 16 of channeled cross sectional shape. The top rim 16 and posts 14 define a framework, supporting a screen mesh front wall 18, mesh side walls 20, and a screen mesh back wall 22.

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Thus, a box-like container of vented design, formed open at its upper end, is provided.

Extending transversely of the container 10, at the upper end thereof, is a hinge pin 24, said hinge pin being connected at its opposite ends to the opposite sides of the rim 16. The hinge pin 24 is disposed adjacent the back wall 22 of the container, and circumposed about the opposite end porttions of said hinge pin are hinge sleeves 26, integrally formed on angle brackets 28 of inverted Lshape. Each bracket 28, as shown in Figure 1, has a horizontal leg 28 integrally connected to the associated hinge sleeve 26, said horizontal leg merging into a vertical, depending leg 28".

A trap door has been designated by the reference numeral 3%, and when in its closed position, shown in full lines in Figure 1, substantially closes the upper end of the container 10. The trap door 30 can be formed of a suitable piece of sheet metal material formed to a rectangular outer configuration, said trap door being fixedly connected to the respective angle brackets 28, thereby to pivotally mount the trap door upon the container for swinging movement between the full and dotted line positions shown in Figure l.

Formed in one end of the trap door is a slot 32, said slot extending longitudinally and centrally of the trap door (see Figure 2), and terminating barely short of the hinge pin 24. The slot 32 is adapted to receive an upstanding bolt 34 rigidly secured at its lower end to a brass shielded magnet 36, the magnet 36 being of the permanent type, and depending from the underside of the trap door 39.

The arrangement illustrated is one that permits the magnet to be adjusted toward and away from the pivot axis of the trap door, the purpose of this arrangement being to adjust the device in a manner that will cause the magnet to exert its magnetic influence at a selected time during the swinging movement of the trap door from its open to its closed position.

To fixedly connect the magnet to the trap door in selected positions of adjustment of the magnet, a nut 38 is employed, said nut being threadedly engaged with the bolt 34 and bearing against a washer that bridges the slot 32.

At opposite sides of the magnet, I provide counterweights 40, said counter-weights being secured dependingly from the trap door 39 by screws 42, which screws extend through suitable apertures formed in the trap door.

A supporting bracket 44 (see Figure 1) is of inverted L shape, and is fixedly connected to the back wall 22 of the container 10. The supporting bracket 44 has a horizontally extended leg adapted to underlie the magnet 36, the magnet 36 contacting the horizontal leg of bracket 44 in the closed position of the trap door 36.

The bracket 44 is formed of a substance adapted to be attracted magnetically, and as a result, when the trap door is swinging from the dotted line to the full line position shown in Figure l, the trap door, will eventually move to a location at which the magnetic influence of the magnet will be exerted upon the bracket 44, thus to cause the trap door to be, in effect, snapped to its fully closed position.

Disposed below the bracket 44 and to each side thereof are spring support brackets 46, each bracket having an inclined leg extending inwardly of the container 10, each of said legs being fixedly connected to one end of a leaf spring 48. The springs 48 function as kick-back bars, the free end 49 of the springs bearing against the side of the depending leg 28 of each bracket 28.

One spring 48 is provided to cooperate with each of the brackets 28. Each spring 48 has its free end 49 remote from the spring support bracket 46, engaging the inner surface of the vertical leg 28" of the associated bracket 28 to maintain the trap door in it's closed position under the influence of the springs 48, as well as under the influence oi the. counter-weights 40 and the magnetic attraction between the magnet 36' and bracket 4.4 p I As. a Weight, such as. a light weight animal, is placed on. the trap door forwardly ofi itspiivotal axis so as to'over come the combined effort of. the counter-weights- 40-,-. the magnetic attractionrbetwcentthe magnet 36 andbracket 44,. the trap. door Willbe swung downwardly to the open position inovercoming. theresilient'v client. of the springs 48, As. the. trap door moves. to its open position a free end 49.. of. each. spring 48 will.ridel upwardly on the innen surface. of. the. associated. bracket leg- 28 tothe rightangle corner of thebracket. 28.- Further downward movementof the trap door will cause the free end ofthe bracket l egi 28." to engage theadjacentsurfaceofrthe associated-spring 48 causing the. spring; tobow and tension as it is-also causedto; move from thebracket'. corner along. the inner surface ofthe other bracketleg 28' to the position shown inbroken lines in Figure 1'. This. will resultin the re= silient tension force of the bowedi-spring, to'be directedagainst the free end of: the associated bracketleg' 28 and against-the innersurface ofv the other bracketleg28 to. biasi'the trap doortoward its closed. position-shown full lines in Figure 1.

Thus Whemthe weighton the'trap dooris released-by sliding offinto the container 10,-,the=-springs-48 wil1 exert the resilient effort necessary toeffect the return movement a of theirap door to. its closedposition. The springs'48 areesoarrangedas to permit a-veryj light Weight 'animalto move the itrap door about its ipivotal axis toith'e OPBnpOSB- tion', yet exertingapowerful .snapaction .to close the trap; door when the animal slides ofi the lowered end of-the" trap door and into the-interionofnthe containerlflz Means'is providedonithe animal trap. forattractingzan animal, and to this end, .a bait:rod.50 is provided} said baitrod extending horizontall'y above the front wall oh the containertsubstantially: from side-to side thereof. The bait rod. is projected, at its .opposite' ends, through the-endwalls of a cylindrical bait protector'52,.the bait B used on thetrap being; impaled: upon thefirodaSO. It will be understood that the=protectorr52 :isxremovable; to permit bait to be-applied'to the rod, after which thc protector52 is returned to the .positionthereof shown in: the drawings}: thus to prevent the animal from eating to bait.

After. an .animal has. beenrentrapped, it. is; Of-C0lll'S, necessary that means he providedifor'removingithe animal; Y and; accordingly, a rectangular-:.opening: ;54 is formed in m the-front wall-10f: the trap; adjacent zth'e'lbottom -plate 12.- Theiopening 54 is provided::witl'i'- a: uashaped guide'i56, whichis shownpto particulanadvantage in (Figures; The guide :56 has vertical sidezlegszxextending'upwardlyfrom a bight; saidLbight.extending alongihe lower edge' ofll-the 5 opening 54;.

Slidably engaged "in'zthe avertical side legs-of the': guide 56;is .a closure plate;.58;?.' whiclrarcannbezprovided witli a handle atxitsnpper edget:

Theclosureiplate :58, of course; can :be' lifted whenever '60 the'animakis to tbe rernoveclti'.v

In; use of. .the- :device, :.the.:trap adder-1:30 will I normally be in ther.closed :positionrshown .in rFigure zl It: will be understood,:.intthis regard; that the' top; surface :of-' the trap door would preferably be highly polished, so as 16 be quite. slippery;

In any .event;.an:aniri1al3 attrauited by thebait B will move onto the'trap -do'or', asa.result offwhich the};weight of the animal will cause-said door'io-'swingto the dotte'd line; open' position 1 illustrated inFigiure *1 The animal-. will; asa result, drop into the container" 10.

The trap door will'immedi'a'tely be snapped-ton closet? position bya trigger-lik'e'nction' resulting "fioiutliecom binedefie'ct' ofthe "spring ld, counter-weights "40," and magnet 36,- thus=to"prevent'escape"of "the animal.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined t6 the specific use or uses thereof (le scribed above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that" the invention comprehends any minor change in construction N that may be permitted within the scope" of theapp'ended claims.

What is'claimed' is:

1. An animal trap comprising a container open at its upper end and having a b'ott'orn plate; front and back walls positioned in spaced relation and supported on said bottom plate and a side wall connecting the adjacent ends of the front and back Walls, a magnetically attracted supporting rbracket having a vertical leg and a horizontal leg.-projecting from: one-end of the vertical leg positioned adjacent the upper end-of said container and having-';the vertical leg extending along and secured to saidback wall with the horizontal leg: projecting towards said front wall, a trap door normallyclosingthe upper end of said container, a magnet dependingly carried by the undersurface of saiddoor and magnetically seated on-the'hori; zontal-legof said-supporting bracket, a hinge pin extend-1. ing transversely ofsaid container forwardlyof and spaced from the horizontal leg of said supporting bracketan d fixedly. supported on said container sidewalls, anaugle bracket-"having a vertical leg and a horizontal leg; pro jecting from oneendof the vertical leg positioned adjacent :each of the side edges of said'door' and haying' the: horizontal leg abutting and secured tothe underfaceof said'door with the vertical leg-dependingthei'efrorn, a hinge sleeve on the free end of the horizontal leg of each of said angle brackets and circumposed about the adjacent portionof said hinge pinto thereby connect said trap door'tosaid container for hinged movement from; said closed position to an'open position under the weight 0 of ananimal, an upstandingleaf spring positioned within said-"container and having its-lower end-fixed to said backwall and having-its other endbearing against the inner face of the vertical leg of the adjacent angle bracket, and-abait holder mounted on the front wall of the container adjacent the upper end thereof.

2 An animal trap-comprisinga container openiat upper endand having-a bottom plate, tront andlback walls .positioned in spaced relation and supported on said bottom plate and a side wall connecting the adjacent ends offth e front and back'walls', 'a magnetically attractedsupporting. bracket havinga vertical leg-and a horizontal; leg'projecting from one end of the veitical leg positioned adjacent theupper end-of said container and having the vertical leg extending along andsecfur'ed to said back wall with thehorizontal leg projecting towards said f ro nit" wall, a trap door 'norin'ally' closing'th'e upper end offsaid container, a magneFde pendinglycarried bythepndei surface 'offsaid door and magnetically seated oi1'"tli e horizontal' 'leg "of "said supporting bracket; a hirigfpfn extending n-ansversery ofsaid contairir 'forwardlyof' arid f spac e'd 'fro'n'r' the 'horiiontahle'g of saidsupporting braeret and fiiiedly' supported" on *said 'container sidev'vz allsi an ang-le "-bra'ckct-having a *v'ertical leg anda horizontal leg project-ing-frorn one end'of the y'rtical leg-positioned ad-" i jacerit-each of the side edges'of'said door antlhaving the horizontal -'leg 'zabutting and secured- 'toithe un'derface of said door with the vertical leg dependingtherefrom; a; hingeisleeveon the free end of the horizontal leg of each ofnsaid angle brackets and circurnposed abouttheadja; cent portion 'of said hinge pin to thereby connect said trap'jdoor 'to' said cont'aii1er"'for hinged mevefiint "from said closed position to an open position urideltli we'ig ofanariimiil, an upstanding leaf sprin p osit'ione'd' wi I said' cont airier' and having its lower end fixed 'to said backwall and having its other end bearing against the iniier'" 5 face of the vertical leg of the adjacent angle bracket, a bait holder mounted on the front Wall of the container adjacent the upper end thereof, and counterweights carried by said door adjacent said magnet for retaining said door in its closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 181,446 Jenne Aug. 22, 1876 6 Bennett Feb. 18, 1879 McCombs Dec. 19, 1911 Negraval Dec. 28, 1915 Stewart Aug. 24, 1926- FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1892 

